Sep. I. 11. 1. THEORY OF FEVER. 475 



compressed by the centrifugal force? See Article 15. of this 

 Supplement. 



XI. Torpor of the Heart and Arteries. 



1. It was shewn in Class IV. 1. 1. 6. in IV. 2. 1.2. and in 

 Suppl. I. 6. 3. that a reverse sympathy generally exists between 

 the lacteal and lymphatic branches of the absorbent system. 

 Hence, when the motions of the absorbents of the stomach are 

 Tendered torpid or retrograde in fevers with arterial debility, 

 those of the skin, lungs, and cellular membrane, act with in- 

 creased energy. But the actions of the muscular fibres of the 

 heart and arteries are at the same time associated with those of 

 the muscular fibres of the stomach by direct sympathy. Both 

 these actions occur during the operation of powerful emetics, as 

 squill or digitalis; while the motions of the stomach continue 

 torpid or retrograde, the cellular and cutaneous absorbents act 

 with greater energy, and the pulsations of the heart and arteries 

 become weaker, and sometimes slower. 



The increased action of the stomach after a meal, and of the 

 heart and arteries at the same time from the stimulus of the new 

 supply of chyle, seems originally to have produced, and to 

 have established this direct sympathy between them. As the 

 increased action of the absorbents of the stomach after a meal 

 has been usually attended with diminished action of the other 

 branches of the absorbent system, as mentioned in Class IV. 

 1.1.6. and has thus established a reverse sympathy between 

 them. 



2. Besides the reverse sympathy of the absorbent vessels of the 

 muscles of the stomach, and of the heart and arteries, with those 

 of the skin, lungs, and cellular membrane; there exists a similar 

 reverse sympathy between the secerning vessels or glands of the 

 former of these organs with those of the latter; that is, the mu- 

 cous glands of the heart and arteries act generally by direct sym- 

 pathy with those of the stomach; and the mucous glands of the 

 cellular membrane of the lungs, and of the skin, act by reverse 

 sympathy with them both. 



Hence when the stomach is torpid, as in sickness, this torpor 

 sometimes only affects the absorbent vessels of it; and then the 

 absorbents of the cellular membrane and the skin only act with 

 increased energy by reverse sympathy. If the torpor affects the 

 muscular fibres of the stomach, those of the heart and arteries 

 act by direct sympathy with it, and a weak pulse is produced, 

 as in the exhibition of digitalis, but without increase of heat. 

 But if the torpor also affects the glands of the stomach, the cu- 



